MK: Revolution
by smacks
Summary: An AUC story about Sindel marshaling an army against Shao Kahn, taking influence from all aspects of MK lore.  Chapter 11 is now up!
1. Chapter 1

"Sit."

Kitana complied, and kept her gaze firmly upon her hands, which she was in the process of wringing over her lap.

"Kitana," came the rumbling voice of her adoptive father, Shao Kahn. He sat hunched on a raised platform. After uttering her name, he paused, collecting his thoughts. "Kitana, do you know why I have brought you here, to my court?"

The princess did not answer.

"Kitana, you heard me speak. I am your father and your emperor, now acknowledge me."

Kitana's eyes narrowed as she finally looked up.

"Daughter, I summoned you here because I am worried that you have fallen under the influence of a… _dangerous_individual," Shao Kahn said. He kept his tone measured and, by his standards, unthreatening. "Rumors have abounded for months now about the identity of a dangerous insurgent. It seems that you have become aware of those rumors, and have investigated them on your own accord. Am I correct?"

"You are correct," Kitana responded.

"I am correct, what?"

Kitana sighed. "You are correct, _Father_."

"Were you alone when you made this investigation, Kitana?"

"Yes."

"Your handmaiden Jade was not with you? Nor was your bodyguard, Baraka?"

"No. I was alone when…" She paused, and looked down again.

"When what, daughter?" Shao Kahn's tone began to show his frustration.

"When I went to-" She stopped again, choking on the next part of the sentence. Standing behind her, Jade, her oldest friend, cringed. After a moment, Kitana took a deep breath, looked up at Shao Kahn, and glared. "When I went to meet with my mother."

* * *

><p>Sindel walked through the Living Forest, as she had so many times in her youth. The enchanted trees, each one with a face like a man, still stood, and their eyes followed her as they always had. But their expressions had changed. She recalled a time when those faces were young, and full of wonder. Now, after centuries of decay and abuse, they were old and haggard, more like human faces than ever. Instead of whistling and whispering as they once did, they moaned, and instead of moving their branches to provide shade to the young Edenians who would travel through the forest, they reached desperately to slow the way of anyone who might prove to be a threat.<p>

But to her, they stayed in place. This was the image of a woman who had disappeared for many years, and her return seemed to those trees, in whatever capacity they could actually think and perceive meaningful events, to be hopeful.

After a few minutes, Sindel found a place to rest. She sat at the edge of one of the enchanted trees, resting her head against its bark. She had barely closed her eyes when the first peel of thunder cracked above her. A bolt of lightning followed, snaking its way all the way to the ground, dodging the leaves and branches of the Living Forest's canopy.

"Always making an entrance, Thunder God," she smirked.

On the spot where the bolt of lightning charred the ground, a ball of energy appeared, then formed into the outline of a man, and finally, into the preferred human form of Raiden, known in another realm as God of Thunder, and more importantly, Protector.

"Is the subterfuge necessary?" Raiden asked. "I can't stay long."

"Thunder God, there are so few places we can meet safely in Outworld," Sindel said, not bother to stand. "And I can't exactly jump around between realms like you can."

"If we don't make a move soon," Raiden said, "there won't be separate realms to jump between. Now, what news do you have?"

"I've met her. I've met my daughter, and I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that she recognizes that I am who I say I am," Sindel said. As she began to speak, she raised from the ground, not standing, but rather levitating. Her brief moment of tranquility was over. "Raiden, I have followed your plan without question, but there can be no uncertainty at this point. Can my daughter be rescued from Shao Kahn?"

"I've seen Kitana in action. She doesn't need physical rescuing," Raiden smirked. "Maybe emotional, but if you've gotten to talk to her, I think she'll be okay."

"Don't joke, Raiden," Sindel said, finally lowering her feet to the ground. She approached the God of Thunder. Physically, he dwarfed her, but she conveyed as much power as even he did. "Kitana was raised to be a great warrior, but if she simply runs, Shao Kahn will send his forces after her, and no matter what kind of fight she puts up, she will fall. Thunder God, it is time."

Raiden thought for a moment, and nodded.

"If we initiate our plans now," he said, "it means I won't be able to cross the realms again for some time. You'll have the assistance of the best warriors of Earthrealm, but to compensate, I will have to remain there, keeping the dimensional borders strong."

"I understand, Thunder God." Sindel rose again. A smile crept across her face. "I have waited for this for ages, you know? And I have made plans. Send whatever sort of assistance you can, and I will take it from there."

"Very well," Raiden answered. "Try to take care of them, Sindel. The actor is a little insufferable, but for the most part, they are… decent people."

"I will, Thunder God," Sindel said. She returned to the ground again, and turned to leave. "Good luck, Raiden. I have work to do."

The God of Thunder watched Sindel, the powerful sorceress and former Queen of Edenia, walk away, enjoying the sight thoroughly. He muttered to himself that that was one advantage Outworld held over his ream, and vanished in another peel of thunder.

* * *

><p>"Mmm?" Johnny Cage stirred, as he lifted himself from the ground. "The hell? Is this sand? Am I-" He looked around. "I'm in a damn desert. Of course I am."<p>

Somewhere in the vast expanse of dunes that Cage had awoken in, there was a rumbling sound. He reached into his back pocket, and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. The sun was blinding in this desert which he had appeared in, hopefully by accident. One moment Raiden was telling the crew that some great mission was about to begin, then they were jumping into a portal, then…

Oh shit, where were the others?

"Sonya?" He called. There was no response, but the rumbling was getting louder. "Hey! Sonya, can you hear me? Baby?"

There was still no verbal answer. If he took off the shades and squinted, Cage could see a cloud of dust being kicked up in the distance, where the rumbling came from. Something was approaching him fast, though was still a good distance away. He had no idea where he'd landed, but he was at least sure it was somewhere in Outworld, and that generally meant the locals were unfriendly. Extremely unfriendly. Rip limb-from-limb unfriendly. He became increasingly worried about the rest of the Earthrealm forces. This was definitely not a base above Kuatan, so it was safe to assume the portal had completely screwed up.

"Guuuys? Liu? Nightwolf?"

The air was starting to get congested with dust. Whoever was approaching was moving faster than he'd expected.

"Whoever you are, I'm not looking for trouble!" Cage called. "Well, technically I am, but I don't know if it's with you or not!"

And with that, the approaching party was surrounding him. Cage could begin to make out the silhouettes of four figures.

"Earthrealm invader!" one of them bellowed

"That's less of a name, more of an informal title," Cage replied. The dust was clearing quickly, and the four figures appeared more clearly. They were a quartet of centaurs. The one who spoke to him was familiar.

"I am-"

"Motaro, yeah dude, we've met."

The centaur general scowled.

"Johnny Cage. What exactly are you doing here?" Motaro asked, stepping ahead of the other centaurs.

"Been out partying too much lately," Cage said, slowly backing away. "Woke up naked in a second-grade classroom last week, so before the tabloids got word of it, I figured I'd tell everyone I needed to go to a clinic for exhaustion, and-"

"Shut up and get on your knees, human!" Motaro roared.

"You aren't scary and your breath is awful."

"Enough," Motaro growled. "Restrain him. Leave him alive for further interrogation, but soften him up a bit."

Two of the other centaurs advanced. Cage stepped back again, and clenched his right hand into a fist. When one of the two began to charge, he pulled his fist up quickly, and a ball of green energy flew out, striking the centaur in the face. When it was distracted, he turned and ran. Two of other centaurs followed. One quickly overtook him, and grabbed him by the shoulders. Cage wriggled an arm free and punched the centaur in the neck, causing it to drop him. He raised his right fist again, this time letting it carry him into the air, a green trail following his body as his uppercut connected with the creature's chin, sending it staggering.

When Cage landed, Motaro's other two minions were upon him. One reared up on its hind legs, and brought its hooves down on Cage's chest. He fell down, moaning in pain. Motaro joined his soldiers as they surrounded him.

"You are a nuisance," Motaro growled.

"And you have halitosis," Cage managed to squeak out. He was certain that the centaur's kick had broken a few ribs. While he tried to eke out another quip, certain that he was about to get pummeled into submission anyway, there was a flash of light. Motaro shouted, and clutched the back of his head. A wall of sand raised behind them, and then over them. Cage coughed, and felt something lifting him up and speeding him away.


	2. Chapter 2

The cell Kitana was held in could have been worse, all things considered. Many holding cells in Shao Kahn's expansive dungeon were barely large enough to stand in. This one had room to move in. It was, she supposed, a luxury afforded to her as a Princess of Outworld, even one in significant trouble. There was a small, barred window, which overlooked one of her father's favorite features, the eloquently named Pit. It consisted simply of a narrow stone bridge spanning over a wide chasm filled mostly with large metal spikes. Here and there, paths had been left open in order for the Emperor's servants to clear out bodies, a necessity as it could become quite full. Dropping various kinds of offenders into the Pit was the Emperor's favorite method of execution.

While Kitana hadn't joined the party which had competed in the last Mortal Kombat tournament to be held in Earthrealm, she was told that the sorcerer Shang Tsung, one of Shao Kahn's most trusted emissaries, and the man who had orchestrated the long winning streak which had nearly won him Earthrealm itself, had included a smaller version of the Pit in his own fortress. Of course she had also been told that that fortress had collapsed into the ocean after the winning streak had been broken, only a few years ago.

"For once, I'm not jealous when you get a new room."

Kitana was shaken from her solitude by a woman dressed entirely in pink. She wore a skirt with long slits up both sides, a low cut top, and a veil which covered her mouth. In spite of how much of her body was on display, it was this veil which garnered the most attention. There were countless rumors as to why she wore it everywhere. Oddly, one of the most fantastical, and most frequently dismissed, was the truth, and in the presence of her sister, Mileena was happy to show it off.

She removed the veil after speaking. Kitana looked alarmed, not at the site, but at the fact that her sister had snuck into the prison so quietly. It wasn't generally her style. The mouth so frequently hidden was nothing new to her. Mileena's disturbing smile was wider than a normal person's, and full of massive, pointed teeth, displaying the bizarre secret of her creation.

"Nothing to say, sister?" Mileena taunted, pressing close to the door of Kitana's cell.

Kitana looked away. She had, for ages, tried to accept this thing that was made to share so much with her. Mileena was not a true "sister", sharing any true mutual parents. Rather, she had been created, with a drop of Kitana's blood and a strand of her hair, by Shang Tsung. She had been an ill-advised creation meant to placate the Tarkatans, one of many races conquered by Shao Kahn, and one of the deadliest. Mileena was what some would call a "clone" of Kitana, but the sharp mouth of a Tarkatan, and with the bloodlust that was so thoroughly associated with their warriors.

"Father says I can't follow along to see your execution. It's a shame," Mileena said. "I was hoping our eyes could meet right at the moment you were shoved into the Pit, but alas, you aren't even dying there. I suppose Father doesn't want to see your corpse rotting after the deed is done. He really is broken up about this, but you've just become such a troublemaker. He can't have people finding out that the princess has been cavorting about the ruins of an old realm with that old harlot that's been giving the emperor so much trouble."

"She is my mother, Mileena," Kitana muttered. "She was the Queen of Edenia, and later Empress of Outworld, albeit not by choice. And being my mother, she is still yours."

"She didn't birth me," Mileena said, sounding suddenly defensive. "And I have too many biological fathers to count. Then again, from what I've been told about Sindel, the same could probably be said for you."

Kitana growled, and clenched her fists.

"Ah, there's the anger," Mileena laughed. "You used to be so calm and level-headed. It really isn't a good sign when I'm the mature one."

Heavy footsteps signaled another person approaching. Mileena looked behind her.

"Another visitor! Come to help me scold our errant Princess, Baraka?" Mileena said, leaving the cell door.

"Shut up," Baraka snapped. "You shouldn't be down here, Mileena."

"I do love it when you get so aggressive." Mileena laughed again, and walked away.

Baraka slammed the door behind her, then approached Kitana's cell door. He glared inside, and crossed his arms. He kept his mouth shut tight, not showing off his teeth like Mileena. A true Tarkatan, Baraka resented his race's features being treated like marks of disfigurement.

"A lecture from you, too?" Kitana asked.

"I've been your bodyguard for a long time, Princess," Baraka said. "I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble. I don't appreciate you making that so difficult."

The Tarkatan warrior turned around and leaned his back against the door, his arms staying crossed.

* * *

><p>Johnny Cage propped himself up on his hands and knees. He had been dropped off on a cold stone floor, and was trying, with limited success, not to vomit all over himself.<p>

"I-" he sputtered out, before failing in his objective. "I really can't get used to that."

"A "thank you" would have worked," said the other person in the room. The voice sounded hollow, and the statement was followed by heavy breathing.

"Thanks, dude," Cage moaned. "I guess you didn't know that my ribcage was cracked when you grabbed me."

"Only two ribs are broken," said Cage's rescuer. "Nightwolf looked at you when I dropped you off."

"Wait, when did that happen?" Cage asked. "Because I really can't say I remember that."

"You've been unconscious for two hours. I brought you here, you whined a bit, and then the shock got to you."

"Kabal, where are we?" Cage asked of his rescuer. Kabal got up and helped Cage rest on his back. "Hell, where was I when you found me?"

"Technically, Kuatan, though we are a few miles above the city," Kabal answered. "The desert is a few miles from here. Everyone was separated when we passed through the portal, but you ended up the farthest away."

"So somebody screwed with the portal," Cage said, his voice lowering to a whisper as he felt a fresh stab of pain from his chest. "Raiden's got to be pissed."

"If you had arrived at the rendezvous point on time, you would have heard him warn us of the possibility," Kabal said.

"The rendezvous point was my house, dude. I didn't expect to be late." Through the discomfort, Cage forced a grin. "But Sonya was in the mood, and how could I say "no" to that?"

Kabal shook his head as he stood up.

"No, seriously, do you know what happens when you say "no" to her?" Cage asked. "Worse than Motaro. Where is she, anyway?"

"She's around," Kabal said. "She's been in and out. Now, if you don't mind, I need to speak to Liu Kang."

"Can't handle my greatness," Cage whispered. "Think you're so cool with your ponytail and your super-speed. Wish I could rock a ponytail like that."

Kabal took his place around the campfire, his turn checking on Cage finished.

* * *

><p>"He's awake, if anyone cares," Kabal said, sitting down on a log. "And I know why he and Blade were late to the briefing when we left Earth."<p>

Sonya Blade, sitting a few feet away, through a small rock at him.

"What did I miss?"

"I received a message from Raiden when we all reached the camp," said Liu Kang, a long-haired Chinese man standing up across from Kabal. "We'll be waiting for Sindel to find us here. Raiden expects her to find us shortly, though he insisted that she's waiting on something."

"We are going to sit here, in the middle of the home turf of a race of four-armed dragon-people, and wait for a thousand-year-old sorceress to feel like finding us?" asked another member of the group, Kurtis Stryker. He was sitting with his riot gear laid at his feet. He had made it a habit to bring it with him when he traveled with the Earthrealm Defenders. He also made it a habit of demanding they come up with a better name for their band of fighters, but nobody else seemed to care.

"I'm just saying," he started again, "somewhere beneath our feet are a bunch of big scary monsters which have tried to kill us multiple times."

"Raiden says this is where we're safe," Liu Kang answered, "then this is where we're safe. Now, it's late, and we all had a hard time finding this campsite."

"Except for me!" Stryker interjected.

"Except for Kurtis," Liu Kang groaned. "Can I suggest we all take the time to rest? I don't know how long we have to wait for Queen Sindel, but Stryker has a point. This is still dangerous territory."

After a few more minutes of idle chatter, the group from Earthrealm retired to the spots in their camp they had each claimed. Sonya Blade, the blonde, statuesque Special Forces agent, left to join Johnny Cage, her boyfriend since Raiden had begun assembling this group a few years prior. Liu Kang remained by the makeshift fire pit with his old friend Kung Lao, with whom he had trained in the Wu Shi Academy since adolescence, and Nightwolf, an American fighter descended from the Apache tribe. Stryker, along with Kabal and Jackson Briggs, once Sonya Blade's superior in their Special Forces unit, found spots by trees. Nobody saw where their last companion, the grey-clad ninja Smoke, had gone off to, but they were used to that from him.


	3. Chapter 3

His vigil at Kitana's cell had lasted through the night, but Baraka hardly felt sleepy. Tired, yes, but his mind was racing. The Tarkatan warrior had ventured out onto one of the outer walls of Shao Kahn's palace, hoping for some solitude in the pre-dawn hours of the morning. He, much to his frustration, only had a few minutes of this.

"I do not wish to be disturbed," he growled, not knowing who approached.

"Baraka, please," came a familiar voice. Jade was wrapped in a brown robe, a contrast to the revealing green outfits she usually wore. "You are troubled as deeply as I am."

"Do not try to judge what I am feeling," Barak responded. He continued to stare into the distance.

"You were her bodyguard for years," Jade said. "You must be a little bit concerned about her execution."

"Being Kitana's bodyguard was not a difficult assignment," Baraka said. "She is one of the best fighters I've ever met. Frankly, I think I got the role as a reward for any number of assassinations I carried out."

Baraka took a moment to smile as he thought of some of the jobs he carried out as one of Shao Kahn's top assassins. He had never been the sneaky, subtle type of killer, but he had never needed to be.

Jade joined him at the ledge, looking out over the lands surrounding the palace. On this side, the land was barren and dead. There were mountains in the distance, and clouds on the horizon. The two stood in silence for a moment, before Jade felt the need to speak again.

"He expects us to watch."

"What?" For the first time, Baraka actually turned his head to look at her.

"The Emperor has ordered us to join the party bringing Kitana to the site of her execution. He wants us, the people closest to her, to watch her die," Jade said. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the stone precipice in front of her.

"And yet Mileena doesn't get to come," Baraka smirked. "I guarantee that if you describe the details to her, she'll do anything you want for a decade."

"How can you joke about this?" Jade glared at him.

"What would you have me do?" Baraka asked. "Shao Kahn is executing a rebel. You've seen what happens to those who try to stop his executions."

"You cut their heads off?"

"Granted, but there are others who can do the killing. Besides, I am a servant of the Emperor before anything else." Baraka stretched, yawned, and turned. "Hm, it seems we have more company."

Had he not given the warning, Jade would have heard the landing seconds later. The vigil on the wall was joined by Kintaro, one of Shao Kahn's personal guards, and a Shokan. He was covered in orange hair, and had yellow eyes, identifying him as belonging to one of the smaller Shokan tribes in the southern regions of Outworld.

"Sharing secrets?" he asked, mockingly. "I hate missing the good gossip."

"Nothing you'd care about, Kintaro," Jade said. "We're using big words."

"Everyone having trouble sleeping because you're excited to tear that little brat apart on the shores of the Lost Sea?" Kintaro asked, cracking the knuckles on his top pair of arms. "That's the rumor, at least. Why else would Goro and I be at the head of the procession?"

"You won't be at the head," Baraka groaned. "The Emperor himself will be. As he always is."

Kintaro's brow furled. Jade tried to leave, and he grabbed her shoulder.

"Once the Princess is gone," he started, "you're going to need a new friend, am I right? Think I can help you there, eh?"

Jade glared, and started to leave again.

"Come on!" Kintaro called.

"Kintaro, enough," Baraka said.

"Oh piss off, ugly! I've got something to offer the little fox. She'll need all the company she can get once her little girlfriend is dead."

And with that, Jade turned around again, and kicked Kintaro in the gut. While his reaction wasn't pronounced, it gave her enough time to uppercut him in the chin, then drop to the ground and sweep his legs out from under him. When he fell, Baraka put his foot on his chest. Jade stepped up to attack again, but Baraka stopped her, extending his arm, and from that, a long metal blade from his forearm.

"Jade, go rest," he barked. "Kintaro, that's why I tried to warn you."

* * *

><p>Kung Lao leaned over the water, and cupped his hands. He brought a small amount up to his face, and splashed it over his eyes.<p>

"Waking up?"

"Mmm."

"You could have told us you'd found the stream." Sonya Blade leaned down over the creak Kung Lao had discovered. "Johnny drained his cantine already."

Sonya refilled Johnny's cantine, and twisted the top on. Kung Lao laid on the ground, his wide, circular hat, pulled over his face.

"If we're playing the waiting game," he said, "I'm going to be comfortable while we do it."

Sonya smirked, and walked away. Kung Lao enjoyed his spot by the water, with the sun beating down on him.

"How long have you been here?"

"Nobody in this band says "hello"," Kung Lao said. He didn't bother to remove his hat from his eyes. There was no response. "Jax?"

"I don't know the name."

Kung Lao grabbed his hat from his face, and popped up, startled. The voice had been similar to his comrade's, and looking at this stranger, they could have been related. He was tall, dark-skinned and bald. It was obvious from his dress that he was not from Earth. His clothes were a mix of black and orange, leaving his arms exposed, save for bladed gauntlets. After a quick assessment, Kung Lao placed his hat on his head and assumed a fighting stance.

"Oh, we get a workout?" said the stranger, who also took stance. The two circled, and the stranger attacked first, lunging with his gauntlets. Kung Lao hopped back.

"You pulled that," he said. "Who are you?"

The stranger leaned back, and reached out his right arm. A swirling rope of blue light emanated from the hand, and struck Kung Lao in the chest.

"Did I pull that?" The stranger asked.

Kung Lao recovered, and crouched. As the stranger held up his gauntlets to block a potential attack, Kung Lao sprung up, and then disappeared.

"The hell?" The stranger muttered, before absorbing a hard kick to the back of his head. He slumped, and hit the ground hard. Kung Lao knelt down, and pinned his elbow to his attacker's neck with one arm. The other restrained the attacker's left arm.

"Now then, who are you?" He asked. As he began his interrogation, Liu Kang and Nightwolf arrived.

"Who is this?" Liu Kang asked.

"I was just trying to find out," Kung Lao said. He pressed his elbow harder into the stranger's neck. "Good job on getting here after the fight was over, by the way."

"Let me go, idiot!" the stranger shouted. He moaned, and tried to swing his right arm up. Kung Lao dodged it easily, costing him the hold he had. The stranger shoved him, and sprung up. Liu Kang tackled him from behind, and grabbed him in a full nelson.

"Hold him!" Kung Lao snapped.

"I didn't come here to fight, believe it or not," the stranger said. "You wanted to go, I went along with it."

"Then who are you?" Nightwolf asked, getting in front of Kung Lao.

"My name is Darrius," the stranger said. "Sindel sent me to find you, and make sure you were okay."

"And you did this by attacking one of us?" Nightwolf asked.

"I told you," Darrius said. "He started it. So I take it this means you're alright here?"

"For the moment," Nightwolf said. "How long does Sindel expect us to wait?"

"Oh, not much longer," Darrius answered. "Can this one let me go?"

Nightwolf glanced at Liu Kang, who released Darrius and stepped back.

"We have questions for you, Darrius," Nightwolf said. "But we ask them as a group. Follow us." Nightwolf walked past the stranger and Liu Kang, then quickly turned around. "And lose the wrist-blades. They're… uninviting."


	4. Chapter 4

"So, you're our babysitter?"

Darrius cringed.

"Sindel sent you to watch us, right?" Nightwolf pressed. Darrius nodded. "So, you're here to babysit us until she decides she feels like calling on us. You're our babysitter."

"You make it sound so negative," Darrius said. He sat on a log, his hands clasped in front of him. His bladed gauntlets were on the ground next to him. Most of the company from Earthrealm had surrounded the newcomer. Smoke had reappeared briefly when Darrius was first marched up to the campsite, but he left again quickly.

"You're an Edenian, then?" Liu Kang asked.

"Not quite," Darrius replied, glancing at the sky. "But I sympathize with them. That's a given, I'm sure."

"Where are you from, then?" This time Johnny Cage had piped up. "You don't have the "ooh scary" vibe that an Outworlder usually gives off."

"Seido."

"Never heard of it. Another place Shao Kahn took over?" Cage asked.

"Ha! He can try and invade Seido," Darrius smirked. "It wouldn't last long. And don't get me started on a tournament challenge. Never did see why you other realms ever got into it."

"Okay," Cage replied, "so what's the deal with this place? Why are you working with Sindel?"

"Seido is the realm of Order," Liu Kang said, not giving Darrius a chance to talk. "It's a land obsessed with law, and precision."

"That's what we tell the tourists," Darrius quipped. "Seido's a stuffy realm. Pretty, but stuffy. I got kicked out with a few friends a while back for being a troublemaker. We were literally dumped into a dimensional gate, and landed in Outworld. The Queen's loyalists found us and took us in. The Seidan Guard may find it shocking, but I believe in repaying people who help me."

Liu Kang glanced at Nightwolf, then scanned his companions. The group shared a look of collective apprehension, but nobody moved to restrain Darrius again.

"For the moment," he said, "I'm going to assume you're telling the truth. Understand that we will be keeping a close eye on you until Sindel herself confirms your story."

Darrius nodded, and smiled.

"Works for me," he said. "I've got nothing to hide."

There was a loud _thud_ in the woods. Stryker and Kabal got up to investigate. Darrius attempted to join them, but Liu Kang ordered him to remain behind.

Stryker reached for his nightstick, a memento of the days when he was simply a police officer, while Kabal pulled a pair of swords from straps on his back. They were hooked at the end, and the hilts were guarded by smaller blades. Kabal had once described his pair of weapons as "exceedingly nasty" in battle. Both men were ready to fight, having been worked up by the abrupt appearance of Darrius. Instead, they were treated to the sight of a flying Zaterran warrior, who crashed into a tree trunk mere feet from where they stood.

"He was followed," came the raspy voice of their comrade, Smoke, who appeared out of the shadows. "Just the two of them."

"Two?" Stryker asked.

Smoke produced the limp body of another Zaterran, this one with a broken neck.

"I was able to sneak up on him," Smoke said. "The other one put up a fight." He glanced at the spot where the second Zaterran had landed. "Not much of one. They weren't expecting to find us. You might want to look out, Stryker."

The second Zaterran was still alive, and conscious. It reached for Stryker's ankle, then tried to drag itself close to him, its mouth open for a bite. Stryker shook it off, and stomped its head. For good measure, he gave it a few whacks with his nightstick.

Sonya and Jax walked into the woods to find the trio, and the two dead Zaterrans.

"So this was the noise?" Sonya asked.

"The noise was Smoke putting the hurt on some lizard people," Stryker said.

"Tell our new friend," Smoke said, walking past them with the body of one of the attackers slumped over his shoulder, "he needs to do a better job of covering his tracks. These two were passing by the area. He led them right to us, whether he meant to or not."

* * *

><p>Kitana woke up on the morning of her planned execution feeling refreshed. She had been nervous, of course, but was resolved not to be marched to her death tired. It would sully the whole experience. She dressed herself in her usual formal wear, a dark blue blouse with a skirt that only covered one leg. She had been given the option of a long, black gown, but had rejected it quickly.<p>

Jade waited outside her door, dressed in a similar, but differently colored outfit. She held her head low, and only occasionally glanced in to see her friend.

"Stop being so quiet," Kitana snapped. "I'm not spending my last morning alive getting the silent treatment."

"They're trotting out Goro," Jade muttered.

"Good!" Kitana laughed. "Nothing second rate for me. I committed the horrendous act of speaking to my long-lost mother, after all."

Jade shook her head.

There was a knock at the door of the prison chamber. Baraka entered, not waiting for an invitation.

"Finish getting dressed and get out here," he growled. "It's time."


	5. Chapter 5

**I hope you are enjoying my little ode to "Mortal Kombat". Comments/reviews would be appreciated. Let me know what you like/dislike thus far. Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

><p>Shao Kahn stood at the front of the procession, as expected. In spite of Mileena's decreed absence, it was a large party. Goro and Kintaro, the two Shokan warriors, were behind him. Kitana, bound by steel manacles but wearing a defiant expression on her face, was behind them, being driven along by Baraka and two other Tarkatans. Jade walked along behind them, a grim expression on her face. Behind them, the Zaterran general known as Reptile led a group of fellow lizard-men. Five masked palace guards carrying naginata were in the rear.<p>

The procession had left the palace gates an hour after sunrise. Shao Kahn had made a brief statement at the beginning. "A statement must be made," he had said, "that no unsanctioned contact with rebellious factions shall be tolerated." No mention was made of the fact that the offender was Shao Kahn's adopted daughter, or that the execution was not the kind he was accustomed to ordering.

The Emperor silently, angrily led the procession through the morning, taking the most direct route to the Lost Sea. There were no stops along the way, and most of the party was exhausted when they finally reached the cliff which Princess Kitana's body was to be dropped from. Shao Kahn himself, the most powerful being in the realm, showed no sign of physical duress, and Goro and Kintaro were used to long treks.

At a cliff which the Emperor deemed suitable, Kitana was stopped, and pushed to her knees. She continued to look up, glaring at Shao Kahn. He ignored her contemptuous look, and beckoned for Reptile. The Zaterran leader stepped forward, and unlocked Kitana's manacles. With another motion, Goro approached, and clamped one of his four arms over Kitana's head. Jade, at this point, looked away.

"Kitana, Princess of all Outworld," Shao Kahn said, "you have been tried for the crime of consorting with Sindel, possibly the most dangerous dissident in our entire realm. I had hoped to show you some degree of lenience, however you have made no effort to repent for your transgression. As such, I am bound by my duty as Emperor to punish you. I have spared you the embarrassment of death in the Pit, as is the usual custom, but you will ultimately burn in the Neatherrealm all the same. You are to be rent asunder by the Shokan champions, Goro of Kuatan and Kintaro of the Southlands. Your remains will then be thrown into the Lost Sea. This is as proper a burial as you are entitled. Do you have any last words?"

"A little," Kitana snarled. She turned her eyes to Jade. "Do not look away, old friend. Baraka, I thank you for your years of service, and I apologize for how hard I may have made life for you at times. And, "father", I hope you enjoy having Mileena as your only daughter. I'm sure she makes you very proud."

Shao Kahn said nothing. Instead, he looked to the two Shokan warriors, and gave them a nod. Kintaro shoved Kitana to the ground, and lifted her up by her ankles. Goro groaned, and grabbed her wrists. The pair of Shokans lifted Kitana off the ground, and pulled her body taught. Kintaro pulled quickly. Kitana shouted in pain, though Goro had not started to tear yet.

"Be done with it!" Shao Kahn roared.

"As you wish," Goro said. He tightened his grip on Kitana's wrists, and started to pull. Kitana's screams grew louder. She, in spite of her earlier defiance, attempted to tense her muscles and resist her fate.

"Why must you prolong the inevitable?" Goro asked.

"Because…" Kitana started, trying to speak through the pain. "Because I do not define the inevitable as some do!"

Goro suddenly smiled, and once again loosened his grip on the princess's wrists. Kintaro stumbled back, and then dropped Kitana's ankles altogether.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kintaro snapped.

"Call this a bit of catharsis," Goro laughed. He grabbed Kitana and slung her over his shoulder.

"I demand to know the meaning of this, Shokan!" Shao Kahn roared. Reptile and the other Zaterrans began to creep up on Goro.

"You can demand nothing of me!" Goro shouted. He crouched, and looked to others that had accompanied them to the cliff. Jade rushed forward, knocking one of the Zaterrans to the side in the process.

"He's going to leap!" Shao Kahn shouted. "Stop him!"

Kintaro lunged, but Goro got past him. His jump wasn't strong enough to make considerable distance. Goro had intended to grab Jade and let her escape with them, but she was caught up by Reptile and his men.

"Can you stand, Princess?" Goro asked, setting Kitana down.

"Give me a moment," she said, wincing as she struggled to her hands and knees. Goro nodded, and rushed back to recover Jade.

Kitana's handmaiden was doing decently, given that three Zaterrans were surrounding her, and several other dangerous figures were looking on, ready to pounce if necessary. Goro lept in, and tackled Reptile and one of the other lizard-men. Jade took the opportunity to trip the last Zaterran, and leap into his back. She began to choke him as Goro heaved the other two into Kintaro, who was attempting to join the fray. Goro stood up, flexed his four arms, leaned his head back, and roared. The palace guards turned and ran.

"Baraka!" Shao Kahn shouted.

"Can't fight your own battles?" Goro taunted. "Why did I ever find you so intimidating?"

"Very well," Shao Kahn said. He lifted his right arm over his head. In a flash of light, a massive sledgehammer appeared in his fist. He pulled it back, then threw it at Goro. The Shokan attempted to grab it in the air, and was sent staggering back. Anyone smaller and weaker than he would have been knocked to the ground, at the very least. As Goro recovered, the Emperor lowered his shoulder and charged, this time knocking him down.

"You are a fool, Goro," Shao Kahn growled, placing his boot on the Shokan warrior's chest. "You know what I do to traitors. Speaking of which, Baraka, I believe I commanded you to assist us."

Baraka clenched his fists, and led the other Tarkatans forward.

"Kill him slowly," the Emperor ordered. "Cut off the arms first, then his head before the blood loss causes him to pass out."

"You don't need to be this cretin's slave," Goro said to Baraka.

"I am your king!" Shao Kahn shouted. "Destroy these traitors! Show them what it means to turn on Sh-"

As he attempted to finish his sentence, Kitana lept into the fray, launching herself throw the air, fist-first, at her adoptive father. Ironically, it was a move which he himself had encouraged her to master. Her punch connected at the top his back, right under his metal helmet. The Emperor grunted, spun around, and grabbed his daughter by the neck. He stared at her for a moment, rage filling his heart, but instead of simply snapping her neck, he threw her at Jade. With another glance, he coaxed the two Tarkatans behind Baraka into the battle. They jumped into Goro's shoulders, wrist-blades extended. He shook one of, and kicked it off the cliff. The other cut into his upper arms, and tried to hack at him.

Shao Kahn and a recovered Kintaro surrounded Goro. Kintaro grabbed and attempted to restrain his arms, while the Emperor kicked him in the gut. Goro doubled over, and Shao Kahn again summoned his sledgehammer.

"What do you have to say for yourself, treacherous beast?" he snarled.

"To you, nothing!" Goro snapped. "Baraka, I see you hesitate! You know it doesn't need to end like this!"

Shao Kahn did not attempt to warn off the Tarkatan leader. Instead, he brought his hammer down on Goro's head. The Shokan slumped to his knees, but remained conscious.

"It may take a few extra blows," Shao Kahn whispered, crouching to Goro's level, "but I seem to have the upper hand as it is." He stood up again, and pulled back the hammer. He grinned, but something caused Kintaro to lose his grip. Goro flexed, shook off the Tarkatan that was still perched on his back, and leapt away from his attackers. He landed next to Baraka, who had unsheathed his own wrist-blades. A moment earlier, he had quickly pressed them together, generating a powerful spark which had launched out and struck Kintaro in the head.

"Another traitor, then," Shao Kahn said. "What a day this is turning out to be."

Goro and Baraka shared a look, then struck kombat-ready positions. Kitana and Jade had both recovered, and jumped on Kintaro, as the two Tarkatans had earlier done to Goro. They punched him simultaneously, each landing a blow on one side of his head. Then, they repeated the coordinated strike two more times, and jumped off, joining Goro and Baraka. Shao Kahn stood alone, for the first time in ages. He picked up his hammer, then set it down so that the handle stuck directly into the air. Then, he pointed, lingering a moment on each of this quartet of turncoats.

"You." he growled, first pointing to Kitana. "Will. DIE!" The Emperor grabbed his hammer and slammed it to the ground as hard as he could. A shockwave was kicked up, rippling out to his opponents. Kitana, Jade and Baraka lost their footing, though Goro stood tall. Shao Kahn slammed down the hammer again, and the ground rumbled. The surface under the four rebels gave way, and they found themselves tumbling down the cliff.

"Reach for me!" Goro shouted, extending an arm to each of his three compatriots. He pulled them in close to his body, bracing them all for impact into the water below. "I am sorry, Princess! This is not as we planned it!" As they neared the water, they found themselves enveloped in flame.

Shao Kahn watched from the top of the cliff. When the flames appeared, he knew that he was not going to be rid of the traitors yet. But that was not going to be his first priority. There were those palace guards who had fled. They needed to be dealt with, and the Emperor knew that they would not be such a nuisance.


	6. Chapter 6

The thunderstorm had begun with little warning. The sky had filled with clouds, and the downpour started only minutes later. The band from Earthrealm was, with one exception, huddled in the cave which Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade had been sleeping in. As the others looked on, Nightwolf continued to sit in the open, with the wind and rain pounding down on him. He was sitting cross-legged on the bare ground, his eyes shut and a wide smile on his face.

"Is this normal for him?" Darrius asked.

"No idea," Stryker said. "Nightwolf doesn't really hang out with the rest of us when we're not being all "karate superhero", you know?"

"Actually, he had me spend a month on his reservation studying meditation techniques," Smoke said.

"I had him come to LA and consult on my last movie," said Johnny Cage. "It's coming out in December. The title is "Bloody Braves." He taught all the extras the proper way to throw a tomahawk."

Stryker shrunk back.

"Nightwolf says that meditating in the midst of this kind of weather teaches one concentration," Smoke said. He lowered his mask, letting a mat of white hair, which contrasted with his otherwise youthful appearance, spill out. "He says that if you can maintain your poise in such an environment, you can fight with greater focus."

"Also, I once saw him throw a lightning bolt at someone," Cage added. Smoke and Darrius glared at him. "What?"

Smoke groaned, and walked outside, taking a place on the ground next to Nightwolf.

"Good to see you Earthrealm people have such chemistry," Darrius smirked.

"We have slumber parties sometimes," Cage said. "Okay, I've got to ask, what did you do that was so bad that they actually checked you out of an entire realm?"

"Easiest way I can say it," Darrius started, not actually looking at Cage while spoke, "is I spoke my mind."

"That's nice and vague."

"My sister was put on trial for having a child out of wedlock," Darrius said. "The father was imprisoned almost immediately. I dared to say that that was silly. It spiraled downward from there. But that's in the past. I was kicked out of my home, but I landed someplace that suits me better. Outworld is in shambles, but there is potential for change. I have a purpose here, aiding Queen Sindel."

"Speaking of whom," Cage said, "when are we going to see this lady? I kind of assumed we'd have a layover of a night or two at best, but we've been here nearly a week."

"In good time," Darries replied. "There is one important task that needs to be finished before she calls on you."

"And that is?"

"She needs to get her daughter back."

* * *

><p>Kitana pulled herself up to her feet. Goro was standing, while Baraka and Jade were similarly getting up off of the ground. There were small flames flickering out around them. As the fire settled, Kitana could make out a large pond, and high trees. They were, needless to say, far from Shao Kahn's palace, or the Lost Sea.<p>

"Where are we?" Kitana asked. "What just happened?"

"Far away," came a rumbling voice. Kitana and Goro turned, and saw their rescuer. "And I grabbed you before you hit the water. I apologize for my tardiness. The passages through the Neatherrealm are hard to predict."

"Scorpion?" Kitana backed up. The specter may have saved her life, but he never simply helped people.

"You know who I am, congratulations," Scorpion sneered.

"She doesn't mean any insult, specter," Goro said. "Kitana didn't know the full extent of our plan."

"Nor, it seems, did I," Scorpion responded, looking at Baraka. "Or did you decide to improvise?"

"Can somebody please explain what's going on?" asked Jade, stepping between Scorpion and the others, and putting up her hands.

"Sindel asked for my assistance," Scorpion said. "I obliged. We have mutual enemies, and I always enjoy bringing stress to Quan Chi."

"The sorcerer? What does he have to do with this?" Jade turned to face the specter.

"He divides his time between the Neatherrealm and Outworld," Scorpion explained. "When he needs to focus on trouble in Outworld, and I have no doubt that Shao Kahn will demand it of him, there is less he can do in the Neatherrealm, and that makes my life much easier. Sindel asked me to play this small role in her little revolution, how could I say no?"

"So you haven't joined us?" Goro asked.

"I am not the type to simply join anyone's forces," Scorpion answered. "Not anymore. I have my own agenda. Our respective missions just happen to intersect at a few points. But for the moment, I've done my part. She can take it from here."

Scorpion pointed, and the others turned around. Queen Sindel had arrived, and was floating a few feet in the air.

"My thanks, Scorpion," she said, bringing her feet to the ground. "I hope our efforts coincide again."

"Perhaps they will," said Scorpion, his voice warming up. "Perhaps they will. But my job here is done. I need to get back to the Neatherrealm. There is trouble to be made."

"I have no doubt of this," Sindel responded.

Scorpion raised his fist in a salute as flames enveloped his body. And within seconds, he was gone. Sindel looked to her daughter and her companions, and couldn't contain her excitement. Kitana walked to her, slowly at first, then racing the last few steps, and embraced her. Baraka started to open his mouth, but Goro put a hand up.

"They've waited for this for some time," he whispered. "And they won't have a moment like it again for some time."


	7. Chapter 7

The two remaining palace guards who had deserted Shao Kahn at the cliff by the Lost Sea ran for their lives. Their fellow guards had fallen quickly, once caught. By order of the Emperor, they were to be brought in alive, something Reptile accomplished with ease, if also reluctance. A Pit execution was not going to be enough to satisfy Shao Kahn's fury. No, today, he felt the need to tear men apart himself. And so, they were tossed into a dungeon, which the Emperor entered shortly after.

The first to die had dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness. For this, he was treated to a quick death when Shao Kahn simply grabbed his head and twisted. The others attempted to scatter. One tripped over his own feet, and found himself lifted into the air, upside down. The Emperor had then glared at him, and swung him over his head. The guard came down hard on the ground, head-first. The third to die was pinned to a wall, and battered relentlessly. Shao Kahn did not step screaming and pummeling him until well after the guard was dead, his body smashed beyond recognition.

And that brought him down to two. As he was dealing with the third, the last two had picked the dungeon lock. And at this, the Emperor smiled. He had asked that a simple padlock be the only thing keeping the door shut. A chase, albeit a short one, would be a wonderful stress reliever. And that chase is what he was given.

The guards of Shao Kahn's palace were a well-trained lot. They were proficient in the use of many weapons, could run long distances in heavy armor, and were supposedly unafraid of death. That said, it was rare for anyone to face this sort of threat. Shao Kahn, mighty as he was, generally left his dirty work to subordinates, and when it was time to kill someone in the palace, they would simply be shoved into the Pit.

These last two completely disregarded their training when faced with the wrath of their master. They ran terrified as Shao Kahn strode forward. Dispatching the first three guards had lightened his mood greatly. The terrified screams of these final two victims further lifted his spirits as he pursued them down a narrow corridor. As he got closer, his gait increased. One guard knocked the other over, and sprinted away. The fallen one screamed as Shao Kahn hovered over him. It lasted until he brought his boot down hard on the unfortunate guard's head. The last one made the mistake of turning his head to see how much distance he'd gained, only to bump into another figure. He fell on his rear, and looked up to see the Shokan warrior Kintaro staring down at him, his arms crossed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kintaro laughed. He reached down to grab the guard, but was stopped by Shao Kahn.

"I did not say that I was sharing," he growled. Kintaro dropped the guard, who was promptly lifted up by Shao Kahn. He held the guard up by his neck, pressing him against a wall. "Now, what is it?"

"Motaro's here," Kintaro said. "Horse-man says he thinks he knows where the invaders from Earthrealm are hiding."

"Delightful," Shao Kahn said. The guard stopped squirming. The Emperor pulled him in close, noted that his heart was still beating, and slammed him into the wall, hard. He then tossed the newly-limp body to the ground, and cracked his knuckles. "Summon my councilors to the main hall. I'd like to plan something… _spectacular_."

* * *

><p>"You know, I've never seen a Shokan city," Baraka said, glancing around. The group was exhausted, though their trek was nearly at its conclusion. Goro led them, saying nothing on the way.<p>

"He's been doing the silent thing since we started moving," Jade said. "Sindel, is something wrong?"

"It is complicated," Sindel replied. In spite of her ability to levitate, she chose to move on foot with her daughter and company. "Know this, he has not been home to Kuatan in several months, and his presence has been expected for that same amount of time. His return was delayed so that we could carry out Kitana's rescue."

"When did he join you, Mother?" Kitana asked.

"When he last left his home, he pledged himself to our cause," Sindel answered. "He will explain his motivations to you in time."

Goro stopped abruptly, and held up a hand.

"What is wr-" Jade started. Sindel put a hand over her mouth, and signaled for her to be quiet.

Goro turned his head, and began scanning the trees around them. A faint rustling was heard above them. Goro crouched, then shouted and leapt. When he landed, one of his hands was clasped around something, and he was struggling with it. The dust kicked up from his landing seemed to outline something. Goro shouted as something landed on his back.

"They've been following us!" he shouted. "I don't know for how long!" He slammed down the one he had grabbed out of the trees, causing it to blink back into visibility.

"Zaterran spies!" Baraka growled as he unsheathed his blades. He lunged, and tackled one which had regained visibility. Several of the lizard-men appeared, most dropping from the trees. Baraka stabbed the Zaterran he had tackled, and shouted. He and Goro stood back-to-back deflecting attacks.

"This is an entire company," Goro said. "Shao Kahn couldn't have found us and sent this many so quickly."

"I don't think they came here to track us!" Sindel called. "Now cover your ears!"

Goro and Baraka obliged. Kitana and Jade stepped back behind the woman who had once been Empress. Sindel took a deep breath, leaned forward, and screamed. The air seemed to ripple ahead of her, sending dirt and rocks flying. Five Zaterrans fell down in pain. Even Goro and Baraka seemed to be staggered by the force. Sindel continued to scream, but was herself staggered when a ball of green slime struck her face. She stopped screaming, and turned to the Zaterran who had spat at her. Sindel's hair started to move. It launched out, seeming to get longer and longer, until several tendrils were around the lizard-man, crushing its chest.

Another lunged, but was blocked by Kitana, who elbowed it in the throat. Goro and Baraka rejoined the others, and the five stood in a circle, in defensive stances.

"Plans, anyone?" Baraka asked. "They seem to have us outnumbered. Where exactly are they coming from?"

The remaining Zaterrans began to close in. Sindel whipped another with her moving hair, while Baraka swiped one of his blades out whenever one got too close. Nobody noticed at first that a layer of fog seemed to be creeping in, an unusual occurrence for that time of day. Within moments, it had grown thick, and impossible to ignore. Yet, as large as the cloud was, it didn't seem to touch the five rebels. Grunting sounds were heard inside of the cloud, as if there was some kind of battle going on inside of it.

In moments, the cloud receded, and the bodies of several battered Zaterrans were strewn about. Down on his hands and knees, panting heavily, was a ninja clad in black and grey. He looked up, and removed his mask.

"Queen Sindel," Smoke said, still trying to catch his breath, "it's good to see you. I see you've been able to recover the Princess, and a few others." Smoke pulled himself to his feet, and grabbed one of the Zaterrans, throwing it over his shoulder. "We've been waiting for you, Your Highness. Follow me."


	8. Chapter 8

Once again, the rain began to pour at night. Nightwolf once again sat in the open, concentrating against the downpour. The others huddled again in the cave, staying close in place of having a fire to gather around. With Darrius reluctant to go into greater detail about life in Seido, they had mostly resorted to idle chit-chat. The alternatives would have been agonizing silence, or the nonstop chatter of Johnny Cage.

The most common question asked at this point was along the lines of "Where do you think Smoke went?" The ninja, a renegade from the mysterious Lin Kuei clan, was notoriously hard to keep track of, so there was not a great air of concern for his well-being. He had even found those lizard-men who had been stalking about, so his anti-social habits could be seen as a boon to the group as a whole. It had been briefly suggested by Stryker that Smoke may have gotten lost or injured in the midst of the rough weather, but this was considered unlikely.

In the midst of some minor conversation, Nightwolf ended his vigil in the rain, and headed for the woods. Liu Kang called after him, and Nightwolf raised a hand to silence him. Kang beckoned for the others to pay close attention, and then whispered for Kabal to monitor him from a distance. The masked speedster nodded, and raced out.

Nightwolf moved as quietly as he could. The sound of his feet in the mud and areas of pooling water was hard to mask at the speed he tried to move at. It didn't matter as soon as he saw the approaching silhouette. Since Raiden had explained that they would be gathering in Kuatan, Nightwolf, like the others, had worried about the possibility of running across the Shokan residents that lived far under the surface. There was only one, but it seemed to be accompanied by smaller figures. Nightwolf straightened up, determined to confront them, when he realized that one of the figures had taken the lead ahead of the Shokan, and was surrounded by mist.

This could mean many things. Smoke had his secrets, to be sure, but Nightwolf didn't take him for a traitor. He decided to simply approach them. When they noticed him, he waved, and Smoke waved back.

When the Shokan raised one of his hands in some kind of salute, Kabal pounced. He carried one of his hooked swords, and swung it in a wide arc. Nightwolf shook his head, not bothering to watch Goro grab Kabal's wrist, and fling him into a bush. The Shokan warrior balled his fists, ready to approach and finish off his attacker, but was stopped by Smoke.

"You'll have to forgive Kabal," the ninja said. "Stealth is not his strong suit."

Nightwolf approached, moving in a circle to help Kabal up.

"You seem to find something new every time you wander off," he said to Smoke.

"I'm not as fond of loitering as the rest of you," the ninja answered.

"Nightwolf, correct?" asked Sindel, stepping forward. "I believe we've met."

"Queen Sindel, yes we have," Nightwolf replied. "Though as I recall, you were not as cordial then."

"I wasn't exactly me," Sindel said. "Now, we have been traveling for some time. I'd like to get out of this rain, and meet the rest of your forces."

* * *

><p>"This continues to be all kinds of messed-up," Johnny Cage muttered. Sonya Blade rolled her eyes.<p>

"They're on our side, Johnny. I know it's weird, but take what you can get," she said. "Think of it this way: would you rather have Goro and Baraka fighting against us? Again?"

Goro had not settled for the small cave the Earthrealm company had taken shelter in. It could barely fit the group as it was, and the Shokan had no desire to sit in the pouring rain when he knew of an entrance to the passage to Kuatan nearby. Its proximity to the campsite led to some degree of frustration amongst the Earthrealm company.

The assembled group was not far from the mouth of the cavern Goro led them to. Sindel and the other Outworld rebels were exhausted, and the descent into the massive subterranean city-state of Kuatan was a long one. A fire was built, and Goro sat as far from the entrance as he could. As much time as he had spent in Outworld, where thunderstorms were common, he was still a born citizen of Kuatan, and the sky itself was still something bizarre to many of his people.

As tired as she was, Sindel still felt it appropriate to hold court with the fighters who had traveled across the dimensional rift to aid in her cause. Jade and Baraka sat on either side of her, with Liu Kang, Nightwolf, Jax and Smoke facing her. Kitana had fallen asleep already, and Darrius was mingling with the other Earthrealm fighters.

"Raiden tells me that most of you know of the circumstances surrounding my role in the assault on Earthrealm, only a few years ago," Sindel said to those around her. "I died many years ago, by my own hand, rather than continue to be abused by the monster Shao Kahn. His minions, the sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, revived me in Earthrealm and placed a powerful holding spell over me. This allowed him and his forces access to your world. I was the catalyst for the devastation that first brought much of your group together."

"Raiden himself explained that to us, once we'd forced Shao Kahn out," Liu Kang said. "Nobody knew what happened to you afterwards."

"I hid," Sindel said. "I needed time to plan, to survey the continued damage Shao Kahn has done to Outworld and the realms that have been merged into it, and to gather allies. You've met Darrius, of course. When we are situated in Kuatan, I will send for the other exiles from Seido. They, and several others, have been waiting for me the same way you were."

"Will we be received in Kuatan?" Liu Kang asked. "Can Goro convince them that we're friends?"

"They will listen to me," Goro said, getting up and joining the palaver. "My advisers knew well in advance that I had aligned myself with Sindel."

"And your father? My understanding was that you are a prince in Kuatan."

Goro hesitated.

"Circumstances have changed," Sindel said.

"It is true that when we first fought, when you defeated me in the Mortal Kombat tournament, I was the prince," Goro said. "Months ago, my father was assassinated. I-" He stopped for a moment. "I am the King now. My return has been long awaited. I needed to perform an investigation before I could return and take the throne of Kuatan."

"What were you investigating, then?" Liu Kang asked.

"My father's assassins," Goro replied. "One of his attackers was caught, and executed when he wouldn't give us information. We were, however, able to get his name, and it was one I had heard before. I needed to make sure it was the same individual. I recognized a mark on him, a tattoo on his back which I saw in three other figures at Shao Kahn's palace. The mark was the image of a dragon. And one of the people I saw bearing this mark was Kano, one of Shao Kahn's generals. I believe that the Emperor himself ordered the assassination of my father. I have theories as to why, but what matters now is that I have taken up Sindel's cause, and soon I believe my people will as well."

Liu Kang and the others fell silent for a moment. Eventually, it was Jax who broke the silence.

"Why would Shao Kahn have your father killed?" He asked. "I always took you all for allies."

"I was the true ally," Goro answered. "I joined with the Emperor and his lackey Shang Tsung ages ago to show off in Mortal Kombat. Kuatan has traditionally been an isolated community. The Emperor knows this, and has desired a change for years. I believe he anticipated my ascension to the throne of Kuatan would lead to the city falling further under his control. I believe that you will find its people more willful than that when we arrive in the morning."

"None should stand for such an insult," Sindel said. "Now, I need you all to rest. Our alliance with Kuatan will be the bedrock of the revolution. Be ready to make a good impression."

* * *

><p>The Emperor paced in his throne room. He had sat for hours, waiting for his council to arrive. Few had to this point. Motaro, Reptile and Kintaro waited outside, not wanting to face the impatient wrath of their master. Finally, a portal opened, and a figure in a black tunic stepped out.<p>

"Hail to Shao Kahn, Emperor of all Outworld," he said.

"Shang Tsung, you are late," Shao Kahn grumbled. "For your sake, I hope your expedition was successful."

"Ah, but it was!" Shang Tsung replied. "I have found a valuable new ally for you!" A silhouette appeared in the portal.

"I hope this was worth your absence," the Emperor said.

The figure in the portal stepped out. It was someone in red, their footsteps clanging hard on the ground. They appeared to be wearing a face-mask.

"A ninja?" Shao Kahn asked angrily. "You've brought me a ninja? Am I in any shortage on ninja, Shang?"

"I am no mere ninja, not anymore," the new figure said. His voice was hollow, and seemed to have a buzz following every word. "I lead the Tekunin, an army that none in our realm or yours could contend with. I believe we would be of use to your efforts, Emperor Shao Kahn."

"You have, at the very least, my curiosity. What is your name?"

"I," the ninja paused, as if he needed to process such a simple query. "I am Sektor."


	9. Chapter 9

The Earthrealm party was left to mingle about a chamber connected to the Great Hall of Kuatan. Goro had gone off with a group of Shokan councilors, followed by Sindel and the other Outworld rebels. Upon reaching the massive underground city, Smoke's Zaterran hostage, who had been largely silent, began to scream. He was, to everyone's relief, taken away for interrogation.

"Do I need to be the one to say this?" Johnny Cage asked to the group. "Am I the only one actually willing to verbalize the fact that we are in Goro's hometown?"

"We've all considered that, Johnny," Nightwolf said.

"Dude, you weren't there for the first tournament!" Cage exclaimed. "Goro was this terrifying figure. He was a giant, unstoppable hellbeast that was one fight away from getting our entire planet overtaken by a giant magic barbarian. When Liu Kang beat him, that was like every Lakers' championship rolled into one, plus when I lost my virginity, and maybe a little bit of-"

"Babe, stop talking," Sonya said. She grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him down onto a bench.

"I understand your concern," said Liu Kang. "I was never more scared in my life than when I realized I would have to face Goro in the tournament on Shang Tsung's island. But that was years ago. Goro's priorities have changed, as have ours. If he is an ally, then so be it."

"And hey, this way we don't have to fight him."

"That's correct, Stryker."

An elderly Shokan man entered the chamber.

"Your presence will be needed shortly," he said. "Please follow me."

* * *

><p>"My people!" Goro shouted. The crowd roared in enthusiasm. Thousands of Shokan, the massive, four-armed people who colonized the massive series of caverns collectively known as the nation of Kuatan, filled the Great Hall. "People of Kuatan! I have spent the last several months away from this, my ancestral home. I have learned much in that time. It is true that my father, King Gorbak, was assassinated by a clan of Earthrealm dogs!"<p>

The crowd grew even louder. Goro raised his voice in response.

"But these assassins were not old enemies of mine," he said. "No, my brothers and sisters, they were members of a group called the Black Dragon. Their leader is Kano. Kano has no loyalty to his home. He has long been a servant of Shao Kahn, Emperor of Outworld!"

And with that, the throng of shouting, angry Shokans fell collectively silent. Goro allowed the revelation to settle in.

"Why?" Somebody shouted.

"Rip his head off!"

"He's scared of us!"

"Brothers and sisters!" Goro raised his hands. "Long did my father hold that Kuatan should keep its distance from the business of the rest of Outworld. We are strong, we are prosperous, and we do not simply fall in line with the wishes of an outsider! When I joined his court, it was to show off the strength of Kuatan in Mortal Kombat. I believe I succeeded, did I not?"

There were cheers of affirmation.

"I won nine tournaments in succession!" He shouted. The pride was creeping in. "I nearly allowed Shao Kahn to conquer a realm! Yet I lost once, albeit narrowly, and I was suddenly nothing but a subordinate. The Emperor has been desperate since then. He cannot wait centuries for another chance to take Earthrealm into his empire. He has, time and again, embarrassed himself and all of Outworld in his failed attempts at this conquest, and now it seems that he believes he can only achieve his goals with the full might of Kuatan behind him."

There were more roars of approval, interspersed with insults directed at the other factions under Shao Kahn's control.

"But Shao Kahn knows that my father would not grant him our full military force, as he desires. And for this, for the act of a king daring to decide the actions of his own people, Shao Kahn sent his assassins."

Goro paused again. The noise from the crowd was deafening. He smiled.

"Brothers and sisters, the time of Emperor Shao Kahn is near its end!" he shouted. "He has used us for too long, and when he believed he could use us no longer, he killed our own King! He is no ruler! He has no honor! He is not worth our allegiance! He abuses countless others in this way, and it is time we put him in his place! A simple march on his palace is not our way, as you all know. And even we, as strong as we are, cannot enter it and rip him off of his thrown ourselves."

Goro turned, and beckoned to one of his father's old advisers, who turned and ducked out of the hall.

"Others are marshalling against Shao Kahn, who have been wronged by him just as we have."

The adviser led Sindel into the hall. Goro waved for her to join him, and then stepped aside.

"My friends," she started.

"Who's this?"

"Another damn outsider! Don't trade one for another, Goro!"

"Give her your respect!" Goro commanded. "She is not simply another would-be commander!"

"She's a gray-haired human, nothing special," said a Shokan man in the front. Sindel looked to him, and grinned. Her hair rose up and extended, then darted out and grabbed him by the arms, lifting him into the air.

"Nothing special?" she asked. The Shokan apologized quickly, and was set down gently. "My friends, I do not want for power. I was once Queen of a sovereign realm, and later of this one itself. For most of my life, I was trained by the greatest sorcerers and mightiest warriors of Edenia. No, I do not come here for my own gain. I simply come to offer you a chance to take the revenge that you, like so many others, rightfully deserve. I am, as King Goro has explained, building an army, a force of all the peoples of Outworld who desire true freedom. If you wish to be part of this, you will be welcomed."

"My people," Goro said, stepping up again, "I have offered my own services to Sindel's effort. I brought Shao Kahn's eye upon Kuatan in the first place, now I must pluck it from his skull to atone for what has been brought upon us. My question to you is: will you join me? Will you stand with your King?"

Fists were raised. Shokans shouted. And ultimately, they responded the same way.

"Yes!"


	10. Chapter 10

"In order to overthrow Shao Kahn, we must cut off his lines of support," Sindel said, standing at the head of a long table. Goro sat on one side of her, with several of his Shokan advisers. On the other side sat Kitana, with Jade and Baraka nearby. Darrius and another Seidan man sat further away, near Liu Kang, Nightwolf and Jax. "He has had time to cultivate alliances with communities all over Outworld. It is the true source of his strength. Our activities must be two-fold. We need to identify those groups whom we can potentially recruit, and then send emissaries to them. Those who we cannot recruit, we must neutralize quickly. Only when the Emperor's lines of support are cut off can we make our assault on his palace."

"Who can we count on for support?" asked an elderly Shokan male.

"As of now, we have only a few contacts we can count on," Sindel answered. "I admit, few thus far are military powers. There may be a need to train many of our prospective allies to effectively fight the Emperor's loyalists."

"We do not need farmers if we wish to challenge Shao Kahn!" the elderly Shokan shouted. He smashed one of his fists upon the table, rocking and end into the air. "We need warriors!"

"They, whoever they are, can be trained," said Darrius.

"What do you know, Seidan?" another Shokan said. "These people are not used to constant instruction. They don't have the discipline drilled into your peoples' heads from birth."

"We may not need that sort of discipline," Goro said. "It is unconfirmed, but there have been certain rumors of an ally who could help us prepare these people for war. If the Master is truly back in Outworld-"

"The Master?"

Goro grinned.

"That is an unsubstantiated rumor," Sindel interjected. "We cannot count on that kind of fortune."

"Hey, I've got a question," Jax suddenly said, raising his hand. "Who's the Master?"

"The greatest warrior Outworld has ever known!" one of the Shokan shouted. "He could destroy Shao Kahn single-handedly!"

"But would he?" Jax asked. "If this guy's such a big deal, where's he been? What's he done?"

"A great more than you know," Goro said.

"Enough," Sindel said. "There is much yet for us to discuss. You can speculate upon the presence of a man who may very well have died ages ago later."

* * *

><p>"Is he doing anything?" asked a man with a thick accent, one not commonly heard in Outworld. "Bloody hell, he's been standing in one place for hours."<p>

"You tell me, human," said Reptile, who had been trying to avoid having a conversation with Kano, the criminal from Earthrealm who had sworn allegiance to Shao Kahn. Kano was welcomed into the imperial palace after promising that he could build up support for the Emperor in Earthrealm.

"Why should I know?" Kano asked. "Robo-man's from the same realm as me, but that's a big realm, boy. He shows up with Shang Tsung, says a few words about how great his mates are, then just turns off. Telling you, I knew Lin Kuei before. Hell, I fought a few in the tournaments. Never knew 'em to do the C-3P0 thing. You know what is, right mate?" Kano looked to his side. "Mate? Reptile?" The Zaterran had slipped off somewhere. "Alright, Sektor, let's you and me chat."

Kano approached the idle cyborg, and tapped him in the shoulder.

"C'mon, mate, you and me got so much in common!" Kano tapped his faceplate. His left eye was a red mechanical implant, surrounded by metal. "What's your deal?"

Sektor continued to stand silently.

"Leave him be, Kano," came the raspy voice of Shang Tsung.

"Oi! I want to talk to you, too, magic man," Kano said, turning to face the sorcerer. "Been running around Earthrealm and you don't even tell little old Me. I'm hurt, I am."

"The Tekunin contacted me directly," said the sorcerer. "They are an offshoot of the Lin Kuei, and would like to expand to newer alliances."

"And what a new alliance they have found!"

Shang Tsung whirled around.

"You are, as always, late," he snarled.

"Forgive me, my friend," said the newcomer. "Business in the Neatherrealm held me up again."

Shang Tsung dropped his scowl, and extended his hand. The newcomer, the pail-skinned, heavily tattooed sorcerer Quan Chi, took it.

"Okay, you girls want to practice kissing, you do it," Kano said, trying to get their attention. "Mr. Roboto wakes up, somebody let me know. I'm going to grab some of the Dragons and find a little fun."

Kano wandered off.

"He has a certain charm to him, doesn't he?" Quan Chi laughed. He looked to the idle body of Sektor. "Mortal technology. I'm never sure what to make of it."

"The Lin Kuei are among Earthrealm's greatest warrior clans," Shang Tsung said. "The Tekunin were their attempt at becoming even greater."

"Were?"

"They succeeded, but the machine-men rebelled. This one retained much of his own personality post-conversion, and decided he did not care to be in servitude to lesser people."

"And I'm sure that you played no part in that at all, did you, Shang?"

"Why ever would you accuse me of such a thing?" Shang Tsung smirked.

"Does this mean he can be controlled, when the time comes?" Quan Chi asked, shifting his tone.

"Without a doubt. And with this one, we will have a small army of these warriors to carry out our orders." Shang Tsung paused, and clasped his hands behind his back. "But that is all in good time, is it not? Come, let's disrupt Kano's fun."


	11. Chapter 11

The centaur had made his first mistake when he set off on his own. His second came when he fell for what should have been, to a trained soldier, an obvious diversion.

The village, populated by humans, was a day's walk from the entrance to Kuatan, and had been periodically terrorized by various factions of Shao Kahn's forces for ages. To Sindel, it provided an opportunity to make an early statement to the people of Outworld that change was coming.

"This one small community," she had said to her ragtag war council, "is the first of many, for us. We will win this war not only on large battlefields and in the strongholds of generals, but in such villages and towns, in front of the very people we mean to liberate. This not only isolates the Emperor's forces into small contingents which we can easily dispatch, but exposes us to the people of Outworld. To win here is not only to drive out whatever emissaries Shao Kahn has sent, but to win hearts and minds. To show them that there is hope, and that we can bring it to them."

This speech had led, at last, to mobilization. A large, primarily Shokan force camped nearby the village, and scouts had begun to take down the positions of a regiment of centaurs which currently occupied it. It was late at night that the first trap was sprung. Three centaurs remained awake, patrolling the perimeter of the village. One had simply heard a suspicious noise, and assumed it to be a wild animal. Another felt it necessary to investigate, and set off to the jeers of his companions. He was allowed to wander long enough to call back and signal that he was okay, but the fog was upon him moments later.

There was barely a grunt before a weight upon the centaur's back, and a blade dragging itself across his neck. The centaur fell, blood gushing from his neck. The fog quickly dissipated, revealing Baraka crouched on the ground, having just hopped from the back of his victim. He mockingly put a finger to his mouth, as if to silence Smoke, who now stood with his arms folded, surveying the kill. Baraka had already sheathed his wrist-blades, and now waved to the side, summoning Kabal and Nightwolf, who waited nearby in case of mishap.

Kabal approached the dead body of the centaur, grabbed its head, and yanked it backwards. Seconds later, the head snapped off. He zipped off, leaving Nightwolf to shrug, not knowing his plan.

"What is this?" somebody roared.

"Your friend is creative," Baraka chuckled. His blades slid out again, and he set off to find another victim. Nightwolf reached for his belt, and retrieved a tomahawk. He raised it in the air, closed eyes, and muttered something under his breath. In a moment, the tomahawk was glowing an ethereal green. He looked to Smoke, then took off following Baraka.

* * *

><p>The stench of rotting flesh never left this place. There were no bodies around, but that smell never went away, as if to serve as a reminder that this was a land of the dead. It was the vast, open expanse of the Neatherrealm, constantly beaten down by something that resembled a sun but wasn't, populated by people who were no longer truly alive.<p>

Today, a figure in black was running. He rarely had to run, but a rare surprise had made him panic. A rope wrapped around his ankle, and Noob Saibot tripped.

"Enough of you," the pursuer growled. Noob said nothing. The rope tightened. Noob winced, but remained silent.

"You're lucky it's me and not him," the pursuer said, now crouching down. She grabbed Noob's collar, then slapped him across the face. "I like the game, you know. The cat-and-mouse. I like seeing you terrified, and I like knowing that Quan Chi is disappointed in you."

Noob smirked, then contorted his chest. A shadow seemed to pop out from him, but moving through the air. It grabbed Noob's attacker, and heaved her to the ground before returning to its creator's body. Noob stood up and placed his hands on his hips.

"And I like reminding you that, no matter what, I remain superior to you, Sareena," he said. Noob's voice was deep and resonant, as if his mouth was a hollow amplifier. "And I'm certainly better than Hanzo. Did you know that was his name once? Hanzo Hasashi, leader of a pathetic band of ninja? He was a hateful, stupid man, and he deserved the pain he has endured. Your leader, "Scorpion", is an angry weakling, and beneath Quan Chi's notice. That is why he was cast off, and why I don't bother with him. Now, why don't I leave him a message? Surely he'll find you out here soon enough."

The shadow copy appeared again, now standing by Noob Saibot's side. The duo approached Sareena, and lifted her up, each taking a foot. They began to yank in opposite directions.

"H-help me!" Sareena cried. The response was a rumbling sound which caused Noob and his copy to drop their intended victim, and turn around.

"Oh, it's M-"

A massive iron ball crashed into Noob, sending him flying back. The copy vanished immediately.

"Geh ober hur!" an enormous creature cried. "Hahahahaha, geh ober hur!" It yanked back on a chain connected on one end to the ball, and to its wrist on the other. A smaller figure, dressed in white, appeared next to it.

"You said you could handle this by yourself, Sareena," the figure in white, another woman, said. She helped Sareena to her feet.

"He does have a lot of tricks," Sareena moaned. "Moloch, you did very well, thank you."

The massive creature, a tanned, hunched over giant, smiled.

"Should we bother finding Scorpion, or just finish him now?" Sareena asked.

"He may be our friend, Sareena, but he'll tear us all apart if we deny him the chance to destroy Noob Saibot himself," said Ashrah, the woman in white.

"Come back!" Moloch suddenly roared. Sareena and Ashrah whirled around, and saw Noob sinking into the ground and disappearing.

"He was toying with you, you know that?" Ashrah groaned.


End file.
